


A Package Deal

by MercurySkies



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Aromantic, Aromantic!Ryan, Best Friends, Fluff, Friendship, Insecurity, Other, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 14:31:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20259628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercurySkies/pseuds/MercurySkies
Summary: “I know you love Shane.” She says simply and she’s smiling like she knows an embarrassing secret. He opens his mouth to object, to try and reassure her but she takes his hand between both of hers, skin soft and hands so small looking against his slightly calloused palms.“You don’t love him like I love him.” She says sagely and it suddenly seems so simple, their love for Shane, different and distinct but still sharing so much. “Shane doesn’t love me like he loves you.”





	A Package Deal

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt fill for [@80-percent-leg](https://80-percent-leg.tumblr.com/) on tumblr who requested something where either Ryan or Shane are aromantic, something sweet and soft. I hope this suits!

_ “We’re a package deal.” _

_ “We took an oath.” _

Shane smiles at him from across the desk and Ryan knows they’re forever.

* * *

People think they’re dating, and in a way, they are. Ryan always brings Shane coffee on Valentine’s day, with something stupid scribbled across the take out cup. Shane gives him the grossest card he can find and Ryan keeps them all in a drawer of his desk. Ryan will huddle into him for warmth on a cold shoot, they stand with their arms slung around each other’s waists in the line at Starbucks.

They aren’t dating, but they are, sort of but not really.

* * *

Shane and Sara are dating and Ryan is overjoyed. Shane is so smitten with her it makes him dumb and Ryan hadn’t known it was possible for him to get any stupider. He delights in watching him stumble through the new blooms of romance, listening, curled up on the couch, a movie playing forgotten in the background as Shane rambles on and on about her curls and her mind and her art. Ryan beams, feeling affection bloom in his chest for the girl that makes his best friend smile like the sun.

* * *

The week after Shane and Sara seemingly make it official, Ryan’s joy turns sour, curdling into guilt and anxiety. Every look he garners around the office is one of pity, friend after friend approaching him in Shane’s absence and asking him if he’s okay, telling him there’s plenty more fish in the sea. At first he’s confused, but then Shane is opening the door for Sara as they make their way into the office with beaming smiles and it clicks. They think he’s in love with Shane.

He’s been so caught up in the easy intimacy of his friendship with Shane that he hadn’t spared a single thought as to how it might look to people who don’t know him like Shane does, people like Sara.

He feels guilt gnaw at him and his friendship with Shane starts to feel like a betrayal. Their oath was never one of star crossed lovers, of an undying romance, but one that tied them together in bonds of trust and a willingness to be everything one another needs until the end of the line. Ryan has never needed, never wanted anything but that commitment, and the love of his friends and family and his precious sausage dogs is fuel enough for his too full heart.

His boyfriends and girlfriends bought him all the companionship and affection he cherishes, ample of it to keep him warm, but there is no fluttering of butterfly wings in his chest to fan the flames of his heart.

The guilt starts to tear through him, the pitying gazes of his colleagues feel like the sting of a thousand paper cuts so he pulls away. He steps out of Shane’s hold, sits on the other end of the couch, flinches away from his every touch. Shane’s eyes are sad whenever Ryan shies away but he respects his new boundaries with an apologetic smile.

The slump to his shoulders, Ryan’s card held tightly in his grasp when he arrives to no coffee on his desk on Valentine’s day, breaks Ryan’s heart.

* * *

It’s just the two of them, alone in a conference room after a long running production meeting when Shane finally says something.

“Have I done something wrong?” He asks, voice small and full of trepidation, like he’s not entirely sure he wants to know the answer.

“No.”

“Something I said-”

“No-it- it’s - you’ve done nothing wrong.” He says, rubbing sweaty palms on his denim clad thighs.

“Is it - is it Sara?” He asks, eyes pained like Ryan is about to make him choose. He winces.

“No it’s not her, not per se.”

“Because I care about you just as much as I care about her.”

“Yeah but you’re dating her not me.”

Shane looks at him confused.

“No, but you’re still my best friend right?” It’s another question he looks like he fears the answer to.

“Am I?” Ryan asks weakly and Shane’s face falls. “Everyone thought we were dating.”

“I don’t care.”

“Does Sara care?” Shane barks out a laugh, his mirth in sharp contrast to the worry that wears at the slope of his shoulders.

“Yeah,” he shrugs, “but only because she’s slightly disappointed we’re not madly and passionately in love.” Shane grins like he’s just told his funniest joke but Ryan can tell he’s being honest. Shane stands and slides into the chair next to Ryan’s. He reaches for Ryan’s hand and he’s never felt so safe, so reassured.

“We’re a package deal,” he says earnestly, ducking down to hold Ryan’s gaze “Sara knows I come with a plus one, Ghoul boys, ride or die.” Ryan laughs and Shane grins down at him, squeezing his hand.

* * *

Ryan has never been so nervous for a trip to Disneyland and it’s only now that he realises how similar to excitement the heart pounding trip of anxiety feels. Shane slides easily into the passenger seat up front, grinning from ear to ear. He’s got his theme park dad hat on and it sways merrily as Shane sings loudly along to the dad rock pouring from the radio as they stop and stall through the seemingly never ending traffic. It’s the same as it always is but every time he catches himself grinning, his gaze jumps to the rearview mirror to look at Sara watching them from the backseat. Relief courses through him when he finds her smiling, gazing back at him fondly.

At Disneyland it’s easy to forget his worries, the cacophony of joyful screams, crying children and the cheery soundtrack to his childhood drowning out his anxiety.

It’s not until Shane bravely volunteers to wait in line to grab them drinks on a well-deserved snack break that he’s left alone with Sara and his anxieties slam back into him with full force. He hates himself for it. Sara is his friend.

“Ryan - hey Ryan!” She calls, waving a hand in front of his face to get his attention. Her brows are furrowed in concern and she reaches out a gentle hand to rest on his shoulder. “You look like you’re awaiting your execution and it’s bumming me out.” Ryan huffs out a nervous laugh and winces.

“Sorry - I - sorry.” He stammers, desperately trying to find words, to figure out how to explain he’s worried that his friendship with Shane is making her uncomfortable.

He hasn’t spoken to either of them about being aromantic, about the intricacies of his personal relationships. They know they’re his friends, know he cares about them and that has always seemed like enough. An explanation of the ways he does and doesn’t experience love seemed unimportant. He loves and that should be enough.

It seems Sara and Shane both hear what goes unsaid. Sara shakes him with how candidly she speaks, bright with determination.

“I know you love Shane.” She says simply and she’s smiling like she knows an embarrassing secret. He opens his mouth to object, to try and reassure her but she takes his hand between both of hers, skin soft and hands so small looking against his slightly calloused palms.

“You don’t love him like I love him.” She says sagely and it suddenly seems so simple, their love for Shane, different and distinct but still sharing so much. “Shane doesn’t love me like he loves you.”

“Shane adores you.” Ryan says earnestly and Sara laughs, bright and chiming loudly above the chatter of exuberant children.

“Darn tootin’ he does!” She crows and Ryan grins. 

“What you and Shane have is special and just as important as what I have with Shane.” She says seriously and Ryan feels a lump form in his throat. “ What sort of girlfriend what I be if I stood in the way of something that makes him so happy?”

“You’re the best Sara.” He mutters, wrapping his arms around her.

“I know,” she says, grinning into his shoulder, “and I demand to be invited to the next ghoul boys snuggle session.”

“It’s a deal.” He laughs.

He spots Shane loping toward them, drinks in hand and smile growing under the brim of his hat with every step he takes. They both laugh as he frantically searches for somewhere to deposit their drinks before wrapping his arms around both of them. He drops a kiss to each of their foreheads.

“Whatcha talking about?” He asks, voice light and happy.

“Oh,” Sara says, reaching out for Ryan’s hand with the sweetest smile, “just planning the next movie night.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Come find me on tumblr [@tumblr](https://mercury-skies.tumblr.com/)!  
If you have any criticisms or comments regarding the portrayal of Aromanticism in this fic please do let me know!


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